DPP considers further Pisasale charges

FORMER Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale's official corruption charge could be substituted by four secret commission charges.

The Crime and Corruption Commission yesterday told The Courier-Mail the corruption charge had been "substituted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions" with the secret commission charges. A spokesman for the DPP confirmed it was considering the move.

Under the Criminal Code, a secret commission involves "an agent who corruptly receives or solicits from any person for himself or herself or for any other person any valuable consideration".

It would bring to 14 the number of criminal charges being faced by Pisasale.

A court was told that Pisasale allegedly agreed to receive $50,000 in exchange for council's CEO reducing the price of a property sold to a developer.

The property was sold to a company whose sole director was Chris Zenonos, who has not been charged with any crime and has previously denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Pisasale.

Pisasale could not be reached for comment but has previously denied any wrongdoing.